What Is the Most Expensive Thing in the World?
People often ask what is the most expensive thing in the world. The answer changes based on how you look at it. Do you mean a single item you can buy, like a yacht or painting? Or the priciest material by weight, such as what is the most expensive thing in the world per gram? Or huge projects, like space stations?
This guide breaks it down in simple ways. You will see top items from art, homes, yachts, and science. Some cost billions. Others, like what is the most expensive thing in the world antimatter, reach trillions per tiny gram. Read on to learn fun facts and big numbers.
Why Prices Vary So Much
Prices depend on rarity, work to make it, and demand. A painting sells high because it is one-of-a-kind. A yacht costs a lot due to gold and custom parts. Scientific items, like antimatter, need huge machines and energy.
Here are key ways to measure:
- Total cost for big builds, like the International Space Station.
- Sale price for art or homes.
- Per gram for materials, where what is the most expensive thing in the world by weight wins big.
No single answer fits all. But antimatter tops per gram lists.
Most Expensive by Weight: Antimatter Tops the List
By weight, what is the most expensive thing in the world per gram is antimatter. Scientists make it in labs. One gram costs about $62 trillion. That is more than all money in many countries!
Antimatter is the opposite of normal matter. When they touch, they vanish in a big energy burst. Labs like CERN make tiny bits. It takes huge power and time.
Why is it so costly?
- Needs giant particle accelerators.
- Produces very little each time.
- Hard to store—it explodes on contact with air.
Experts say what is the most expensive thing in the world antimatter , could power future spaceships. But today, it is mostly for research.
Other high per-gram items:
- Californium-252: About $27 million per gram. Used in science and medicine.
- Endohedral fullerenes: Up to $167 million per gram. Tiny cages for atoms.
Bold: most expensive smallest thing in the world often points to these tiny scientific materials.
Most Expensive Man-Made Object: International Space Station
For total cost, the International Space Station (ISS) leads. It cost around $150 billion to build and run.
The ISS is a huge lab in space. Countries like the US, Russia, and Europe worked together. Astronauts live there and do experiments.
Key facts:
- Launched parts starting in 1998.
- Bigger than a football field.
- Orbits Earth every 90 minutes.
It helps us learn about space travel and science. No private item matches this price.
Most Expensive Luxury Item You Can Buy: History Supreme Yacht
Many lists call the History Supreme Yacht the priciest buyable thing. It costs $4.8 billion.
This yacht uses tons of gold and platinum. It has dinosaur bones and meteorite parts. A designer built it over three years.
Features:
- Gold-covered decks and rooms.
- Statue from T-Rex bone.
- Master bedroom with aquarium wall.
It belongs to a rich businessman. Some doubt if it fully exists, but lists keep it as top.
Other luxury contenders:
- Antilia home: $2 billion skyscraper mansion in India.
- High-end jets or islands.
Bold: what is the most expensive thing in the world that you can buy often lands on this yacht or similar.
Most Expensive Art: Leonardo da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi
Art fetches huge prices. The record is Salvator Mundi by da Vinci, sold for $450 million in 2017.
It shows Jesus. Experts argue if da Vinci fully painted it. Still, it holds the auction record.
Recent big sales:
- Gustav Klimt portrait: $236 million in 2025.
Art values rise with history and rarity.
Bold: what is the most expensive thing in the world ever sold at auction is this painting.
Top 10 Most Expensive Things Right Now
Here is a simple top 10 for 2026. Mix of types:
- Antimatter – $62 trillion per gram (by weight).
- International Space Station – $150 billion total.
- History Supreme Yacht – $4.8 billion.
- Antilia Mansion – $2 billion.
- Salvator Mundi Painting – $450 million.
- Pink Star Diamond – Over $70 million.
- Ferrari 250 GTO (vintage car) – Up to $70 million.
- Villa Leopolda (home) – $750 million estimate.
- Private Jets (custom) – Hundreds of millions.
- Rare Gems like red diamonds – Millions per carat.
Bold: top 10 most expensive thing in the world change yearly, but these stay high.
What About Things on Amazon?
Fun question: what is the most expensive thing in the world that you can buy on amazon? Rare collectibles or jewelry reach millions. But not billions like yachts.
Amazon sells baseball cards or art over $1 million sometimes.
In Rupees or Other Views
What is the most expensive thing in the world in rupees? Antimatter: Over 5 quadrillion rupees per gram!
Big items like ISS: Trillions of rupees.
Bold: what is the most expensive thing in the world in rupees highlights huge numbers.
Most Expensive Ever or Right Now
What is the most expensive thing in the world right now? Depends on category. For buyable luxury, the yacht. For science, antimatter.
What is the most expensive thing in the world ever? Same ideas, adjusted for time.
Bold: what is the most expensive thing in the world 2025 lists often include these.
FAQs
What is the most expensive thing in the world?
There is no single answer because it depends on how you measure. By total cost, the International Space Station (around $150 billion) is the priciest man-made object. By price per gram, antimatter wins at about $62 trillion per gram.
What is the most expensive thing in the world antimatter?
Yes, antimatter is widely considered the most expensive thing in the world per gram. Scientists estimate one gram costs $62 trillion because it is extremely hard and costly to produce in particle accelerators.
What is the most expensive thing in the world that you can buy?
The History Supreme Yacht, priced at $4.8 billion, is often listed as the most expensive luxury item you can (theoretically) purchase. It is covered in gold and platinum with rare features like dinosaur bone decorations.
What is the most expensive thing in the world that you can buy on Amazon?
Rare collectibles, signed sports cards, or fine jewelry sometimes reach $1–5 million on Amazon. However, nothing on Amazon comes close to billions like yachts or mansions.
What is the most expensive thing in the world right now?
As of 2026, antimatter still holds the top spot per gram. For large physical items, the International Space Station remains the most expensive overall project.
What is the most expensive thing in the world 2025?
Lists from 2025 (and still valid in 2026) show the same leaders: antimatter, History Supreme Yacht, Antilia mansion ($2 billion), and high-value art like Salvator Mundi ($450 million).
What is the most expensive thing in the world ever?
Again, the International Space Station holds the record for total cost ever spent on a single project. For a sold item, Leonardo da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi painting ($450 million in 2017) is the most expensive artwork ever auctioned.
Why Antimatter Wins Per Gram
Antimatter stays the champ for most expensive thing in the world per gram. No gem or metal comes close.For more on categories, check Wikipedia’s lists.See photo galleries like WIO News top 10.
Conclusion
In conclusion, what is the most expensive thing in the world excites us with huge numbers and wonders1. From tiny antimatter to giant space stations, these show human skill and dreams. Prices may change, but the wow factor stays. What surprises you most from this list?
References
- Wikipedia: Lists of most expensive items by category – Categories for art, homes, yachts; helps researchers and students. ↩︎
